The Lay of the Last Alliance
by Elberethia
Summary: A narrative of the Last Alliance in the style of The Lay of Leithiean. Short, and not so much sweet as slightly angsty.
1. The Lay of the Last Alliance

Great rings were made in days of old,  
  
Of mithril, steel and of gold,  
  
Each had its own appointed jewel,  
  
Each crafted by an Elven tool,  
  
Each glistened in the subtle hand,  
  
Of Celebrimbor, of the land,  
  
Of Hollin, of Eregion.  
  
He was the son of a curséd son,  
  
Of Feänor, whose subtle mind,  
  
Caused the light of the trees to bind,  
  
Themselves into those holy jewels,  
  
Whose power was lusted for by fools,  
  
The stars of hope, the Simarils.  
  
Of rings and jewels the singer trills,  
  
But solemn does his face become,  
  
His voice fadeth and goes dumb,  
  
He does not tell that evil came,  
  
In fair shape, and with the name,  
  
Of Annatar, dark deceiver,  
  
Who from they who were too eager,  
  
Learned the craft of ringmaking,  
  
Harsh come the voices of we who sing.  
  
Three Rings for Elven Kings and Queen,  
  
Who have both dark and beauty seen,  
  
Who bless the stars above the earth,  
  
Greatest in sorrow and in mirth.  
  
Seven for Dwarf-lords under rock,  
  
Whose metal work we seldom mock,  
  
And nine for mighty mortal men,  
  
Who seek only dominion.  
  
Yet one ring was forged secretly,  
  
To give power over pool and tree,  
  
O'er men, and dwarves, and elven-kind,  
  
With the hideous power to bind,  
  
All other powers to that one,  
  
In Hollin, in Eregion.  
  
For Annatar was Sauron old,  
  
Who before men did deeds untold,  
  
Of direst cruelty, lust and hate,  
  
After his fiery soul was taint,  
  
By Morgoth, evil of the world,  
  
Whose cloak of hate had long enfurled,  
  
Great elven-kind and weaker men,  
  
Only by angels was he broken.  
  
Yet Sauron had his ring of gold,  
  
And sought dominion of old,  
  
O'er fading elves and growing men,  
  
His hold on dark forces did greaten,  
  
And war he wrought upon the earth,  
  
And put an end to bliss and mirth.  
  
He lusted for power and pain.  
  
And to gain it he would fain,  
  
Kill all good, happiness and love,  
  
Blaspheme against the powers above,  
  
And this he did with iron hand,  
  
Yet some resisted, they who fought,  
  
And with their blood was freedom bought,  
  
Great trumpets raised in challenge strong,  
  
Yew bows were bent, bright swords were long.  
  
Elrond, lord of grey-elven kind,  
  
With slender hands did then unbind,  
  
The rich standard of Gil-Galad,  
  
Blue sky with silver stars splendid,  
  
Led elves, marching, to their dark doom,  
  
Advancing in the growing gloom.  
  
'Neath Elendil did mortals serve,  
  
With shields of white and golden curves,  
  
They marched 'gainst orc, and troll, and beast,  
  
Marching ever onwards East.  
  
And so they fought with sword and bow,  
  
Fighting on plains both high and low,  
  
The air was thick with carrion shrieks,  
  
Of swooping birds with bloody beaks,  
  
And then the orcs began to tire,  
  
Pushed by their foes into the mire,  
  
They cried for help and help then came,  
  
In a blackened look the same,  
  
That Morgoth wore in battle old,  
  
Or so the elven stories told,  
  
He strode along that ghastly plain,  
  
And with his Ring became the bane,  
  
Of last united elves and men,  
  
Many noble lives were taken.  
  
The fate of Gil-Galad was wrought,  
  
And with his the doom was caught,  
  
Of Elendil, he too was felled,  
  
The great sword that he did weld,  
  
Was broke beneath Dark Sauron's sole,  
  
So his pure blood did take the toll,  
  
Of freedom, of one valiant stand,  
  
One last sword stroke for his land.  
  
Isildur strode to face his foe,  
  
And with that sword great deeds did sow,  
  
Broke' Narsil did he hold aloft,  
  
And Sauron surveyed this foe so soft,  
  
Poor mortal flesh to mar and maim,  
  
To die like his sire in hideous shame,  
  
Isildur fell. Then Sauron stood,  
  
Above his enemy in the mud,  
  
He reached up, struck, cried with hate, and  
  
Cut the Ring from Sauron's hand. 


	2. The Betaread Version

Finally, a beta-read version!  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. All belong to the Tolkien Estate,  
and no money is being made from this. Also, thank you to my beta-reader,  
Thundera Tiger, and all her nit-pickings. For that is what betas are for!  
;)  
  
Great rings were made in days of old,  
Made of mithril, steel, and gold.  
Each had its own appointed jewel,  
Each crafted by an Elven tool,  
Each glistened in the cunning hand,  
Of Celebrimbor, in the land,  
Of Hollin, of Eregion.  
He was the son of a curséd son,  
Of Feänor, whose subtle mind,  
Caused the Two Trees' light to bind,  
Itself into those holy jewels,  
Whose power was lusted for by fools,  
Three stars of hope, the Silmarils  
Forged with now forgotten skills.  
  
And so came down from days of old  
The craft of working steel and gold  
And Celebrimbor, like his sires,  
Uncovered secrets in the fires.  
But secrets more the smiths were taught  
From one who joined their forges hot.  
With winsome words and subtle game,  
Annatar among them came.  
Elven fair but dark deceiver,  
He found those who were too eager,  
And gave them gifts through learning's wings.  
Thus were forged the fateful Rings.  
  
Three for Elven Kings and Queen,  
Who have both dark and beauty seen,  
Who bless the stars above the earth,  
Great in sorrow, great in mirth.  
Seven for Dwarves beneath the stones,  
In mountain halls upon their thrones,  
And nine for mighty mortal men,  
Who seek only dominion.  
  
Yet one ring was forged secretly,  
To grant dark power o'er rock and tree,  
O'er men, and dwarves, and elven-kind,  
And with this hideous power to bind,  
All other powers to that one,  
Under the ruthless grip of one  
All peoples free beneath the sun.  
  
For Annatar was Sauron old,  
Who ere men's time did deeds untold,  
Of direst cruelty, lust, and pains,  
His fiery soul did serve the aims  
Of Morgoth, evil of the world,  
Whose cloak of hate had long enfurled,  
Both elves and men, he was their bane  
'Til angels came to end his reign  
Yet Sauron had his ring to thrall  
And sought dominion over all.  
O'er fading elves and growing men,  
His forces dark were greatest then,  
And war he wrought upon the earth,  
And put an end to bliss and mirth.  
He hungered power and pain.  
And for this object he would fain,  
Kill all goodness, peace and love,  
In mockery of powers above,  
  
Yet some resisted, bold they fought,  
And with their blood was freedom bought.  
  
Great trumpets raised in challenge strong,  
Yew bows were bent, bright swords were long.  
And Elrond, lord of elven kind,  
With slender hands did then unbind,  
The standard rich of Gil-galad,  
Blue sky with silver stars was clad,  
Led elves courageous to their dark doom,  
Advancing in the growing gloom.  
'Neath Elendil did the mortals serve,  
With shields of white and golden curves,  
They marched 'gainst orc, and troll, and beast,  
Marching ever onwards East.  
  
And so they fought with sword and bow,  
On plateaus high and plains below,  
The air was thick with dreadful shrieks,  
Of swooping birds with bloody beaks,  
And then the orcs began to tire,  
Pushed by their foes into the mire.  
They cried for help and help then came,  
In shadows black, he looked the same,  
As Morgoth looked in days of old,  
Or so the elven stories told.  
He strode along that ghastly plain,  
And with his Ring became the bane  
Of last united elves and men,  
Many noble lives were taken.  
  
The fate of Gil-galad was wrought,  
And with his death the doom was caught  
Of Elendil, he too was felled,  
The great sword that he held,  
Was broke beneath Dark Sauron's sole,  
Those pure of blood did pay the toll  
Of freedom, of one valiant stand,  
Of one last sword stroke for their land.  
  
Isildur strode to face his foe,  
And with that sword great deeds did sow,  
Narsil's Shards he held aloft,  
And Sauron watched this foe so soft,  
Poor mortal flesh to mar and maim,  
To die unsung in hideous shame,  
Isildur fell. Then Sauron stood  
Above his enemy in the mud,  
But Isildur rose for one last stand  
And cut the Ring from Sauron's hand. 


End file.
